Hey all,

Just got back from the dealer with a laundry list of repairs that they want to do for me. The two most expensive are the one'* they say I need most desperately.

1. Front Hub & Wheel bearing assembly replacement. Apparently this is going bad or is already beyond bad. $324 parts, $146 labor.

2. Rear Suspension Adjustment Link. They tell me that this could break and be a "significant event" while driving. $141 parts, $90 labor.

These two operations would also require an alignment which they want to charge me $140 for.

They are offering me a 15% discount if I get it all done there. I'm really not familiar with either of these parts or their function. My Bonne has 123k miles on it and runs great. I'm definitely going through with the repairs, but wondering if this is something I can trust a friend to do in his home garage. He'* helped me out with brake jobs and other issues in the past, but this sounds like it could be a beast of a job. Obviously he can't do the alignment, but there'* a place nearby that can do that for us.

Any thoughts or comments, I'd really like some more info before I pull the trigger.

Thank you,

Front wheel hubs, perhaps $100 each. About 2 hours of work, done.

Post a picture of what they say could break.

Front hub does not need a alignment.

i got my front hub and pair of rear hubs off of ebay from detroit axel. the front one cost me $35 shipped and the rears cost me $81 shipped for the pair. all new.

as far as the rear locating arm that does require an alignment and GM is the only provider for the parts unfortunately

you can surpass the alignment on the car if you get the new one and put it together and adjust it to the exact same length as the old one and drop her in. just like i do with tie rods

Where are you located? maybe there'* a member nearby that can save you some of the labor cost?

Yes if you are anywhere near me i would be glad to do it for ya or show you how

You're getting royally raped on those prices. 300% markup on the wheel hub? 15% off is just salt in the wound. Its still stupidly expensive. Firestone offers a LIFETIME alignment for $150, and a one time alignment for $80.

Can't begin to tell you how many cheap ebay hubs I've seen that have wobble and play brand new out of the box.

I'd also be available to help if you're in the Chicagoland area.

I found good prices on Amazon for wheel bearings. Most of us respect Timken and SKF as a couple of the best out there.

X2 on that. I've heard that National brand bearings are decent as well.

Not sure if they still have it, but Advance Auto had a 40% off sale for onlin orders, and you have the option for local in-store pickup. Coupon code was LC123.

I got a National brand wheel hub at local O-Reilly Parts for $143. The Auto Zone folks stock the Timken units. And trust me, Timken is to bearings as Windows is to PC'*.

Those are local prices. You can do better by shopping the internet.

If your friend has a decent set of wrenches, including a torque wrench, you are set. The wheel bearing/hub is a sealed unit with the wheel speed sensor built in. If he has done brake jobs, he likely has all the tools in his arsenal for the job and the skill level isn't any worse than doing a brake job.